Pastoral women have been urged to take a greater role in decision-making, with stakeholders warning their exclusion continues to limit access to land, leadership and economic opportunities.
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Participants said women in pastoral communities remained underrepresented in decisions affecting their livelihoods and wellbeing.
They spoke in Nanyuki, Laikipia county, during a two-day workshop on the National Policy on Women’s Economic Empowerment convened by UN Women.
They cited land ownership and control, leadership and access to economic opportunities as some of the areas where women and girls continue to face barriers.
Mary Masain-Naitum, chairperson of Naitum Women Group, said increased participation by Maasai women in community land governance had enabled them to gain greater control over property and take up leadership positions.
Masain-Naitum said women were now also serving on community land boards and holding positions such as treasurer, while others had acquired shares in grazing and rangeland resources.
She said the growing involvement of women had also changed how their views were treated in community decision-making.
Proposals raised by women were now considered on their merit rather than their gender.
“Now a woman can just stand up and give her point, and she is listened to well. If the point is right, it is adopted. They don't look at whether it is a woman saying it,” she said.
However, she noted that cultural practices continued to discourage many women from asserting their rights to property and participating in leadership.
She said some women remained unaware of land acquired by their husbands or were excluded from decisions to sell or purchase property, leaving them vulnerable to losing control over assets that support their livelihoods.
Masain-Naitum urged women to educate each other on land rights and ensure their names are included in community land registers and jointly acquired property.
UN Women has identified access to productive resources, income, leadership and decision-making as crucial elements of gender equality.
The organisation's work in Laikipia and other arid and semi-arid counties has included climate-smart agriculture, entrepreneurship, leadership training and improved access to markets.
Women in pastoral communities face particular challenges because their livelihoods are closely tied to land, livestock and natural resources, yet control over these assets can remain concentrated among men.
UN Women has noted that secure access to land and natural resources can strengthen women's agency, household productivity, income and participation in decision-making.
Vivian Wanjala, a livelihoods official at Habitat for Humanity Kenya, said economic empowerment programmes were helping women build livelihoods while addressing environmental challenges.
“We support women in climate-smart agriculture, livestock and food security. So far, we have empowered 320 women in Solio to do climate-smart agriculture so that they can take care of the environment while farming,” she said.
Wanjala said the programme had also supported women with financial literacy to enable them to save, access loans and invest through self-help groups. Boreholes had also been drilled in Solio to improve access to water.
Participants said strengthening women's economic position was also important in enabling them to participate meaningfully in leadership and community decision-making.
They called for the National Policy on Women’s Economic Empowerment to be implemented at the grassroots level.
They also urged communities and leaders to create an environment where women can participate equally in decisions on land, livelihoods, leadership and economic development.
Linet Auma, a participant, said the policy should also address the needs of women living with disabilities, particularly at the grassroots, where they often face additional barriers to participation.
“We need more policy concerning PWDs because when you go to the grassroots level, most of the time you are being left behind. We don't want to drag behind,” she said.
Auma cited the United Disabled Persons of Laikipia (UDPL) as an example of how organised disability groups can improve livelihoods and advocate for inclusion.
UDPL is a Laikipia-based organisation that advocates for persons with disabilities and has been involved in disability support, rehabilitation, advocacy and livelihood initiatives.
The organisation has also partnered with other groups on economic activities, including honey value-chain development, while its Nanyuki centre has provided support to children with disabilities and their families.
Auma said the gains made through such initiatives should be extended to more women and persons with disabilities through stronger representation in policy and decision-making processes.
The participants said greater inclusion would not only strengthen women's rights but also enable them to contribute more effectively to household incomes, community development and local economic growth.
